Can You Use a State ID to Apply for a Passport?

Yes, you can use a state ID to apply for a passport. An in-state driver’s license or non-driver state ID card with a photo counts as primary identification on Form DS-11, but it only covers the identity half of the application. You still have to submit a separate document proving U.S. citizenship, and if your state ID was issued by a different state than the one where you’re applying, you’ll need to bring an additional ID alongside it.¹

Which State IDs Count as Primary Identification

The State Department accepts a fully valid, in-state driver’s license or enhanced driver’s license with a photo as primary ID on its own. “In-state” means the license was issued by the same state where you’re applying. “Fully valid” means it’s current, not a temporary or interim document, and not expired.¹

An in-state non-driver ID card with a photo also qualifies as primary identification. So does an in-state learner’s permit with a photo and an in-state temporary driver’s license with a photo. With any of these three, though, the acceptance agent may ask you to present an additional form of identification. If one of these is your only photo ID, bring a secondary document such as a Social Security card or voter registration card to your appointment as a backup.¹

One firm limit: digital or mobile IDs are not accepted. Even if your state offers a mobile driver’s license on your phone, you need the physical card, and you need a photocopy of it.¹

Using an Out-of-State Driver’s License

If your license was issued by a different state than the one where you’re applying, it drops off the primary ID list and becomes a secondary ID. On its own, it isn’t enough. You’ll need to present at least one additional form of identification with it.¹

The extra document should show as much of the following as possible: your photo, full name, date of birth, and the date the document was issued. A Social Security card, voter registration card, employee ID, student ID, or Medicare card works for this.¹

This trips up people who recently moved and haven’t updated their license yet. If you’re in that situation, gather a second document before your appointment rather than assuming the license alone will carry you through.

If You Don’t Have Any Acceptable Photo ID

You can still apply. Bring at least two secondary identification documents instead. The secondary list includes a Social Security card, voter registration card, expired driver’s license, employee or student ID, school yearbook with an identifiable photo, and Medicare or health insurance cards.¹

As a last resort, you can use Form DS-71 and bring an identifying witness who vouches for your identity in person at the acceptance facility or passport agency. This option is only available for in-person applications.¹

Other Primary IDs That Work Instead of a State ID

A state ID isn’t the only stand-alone primary identification. Any of the following works on its own:

A U.S. passport book or card, valid or expired, as long as it’s undamaged
Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship (these also serve as proof of citizenship)
Government employee ID issued at the city, county, state, or federal level
U.S. military or military dependent ID
Current foreign passport
Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), commonly used by a parent applying on behalf of a U.S. citizen child
Trusted Traveler IDs: valid Global Entry, FAST, SENTRI, or NEXUS cards
Enhanced tribal cards and Native American tribal photo IDs

Any one of these satisfies the identification requirement at your appointment.¹

You Still Need Proof of U.S. Citizenship

Your state ID shows who you are. It doesn’t show that you’re a U.S. citizen, and the passport application requires both. You must submit either the original or a certified copy of a citizenship document bearing an official seal or stamp. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.²

A U.S. birth certificate is the document most applicants use. To be accepted, it must:

Be issued by the city, county, or state where you were born
List your full name, date of birth, and place of birth
List your parents’ full names
Bear the registrar’s signature
Have been filed with the registrar’s office within one year of your birth
Have the official seal or stamp of the issuing authority

Hospital-issued birth certificates and short-form abstracts that leave out any of these details won’t be accepted. Other documents that establish citizenship include a previously issued U.S. passport (even if expired), a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, and a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship.²

Delayed Birth Certificates

A birth certificate filed more than one year after birth is a “delayed” birth certificate. It’s still usable, but it needs to include the list of records or documents used to create it and either the birth attendant’s signature or an affidavit signed by a parent. If your delayed certificate is missing those items, submit it along with early public records from the first five years of your life.²

No Birth Certificate on File

If the state where you were born has no record of your birth, request a “Letter of No Record” from that state and submit it with early public or private records from your first five years, such as a baptism certificate, hospital birth record, Census record, early school records, or a doctor’s record of post-natal care. If you’re relying on a private record, include Form DS-10 (Birth Affidavit).²

Photocopies to Bring With Your IDs

Every ID you present at the appointment needs a photocopy. Copy both the front and back of each ID, and copy your citizenship document as well. Photocopies must be on white, standard 8.5 x 11 inch paper, printed on one side only. You can enlarge the image, but you can’t shrink it to fit.¹

Applying in Person the First Time

First-time applicants and anyone under 16 must apply in person using Form DS-11. There’s no online or mail option for a first passport.³ Fill out the form ahead of time but don’t sign it. A passport acceptance agent has to witness your signature and administer the oath.⁴

Acceptance facilities include post offices, public libraries, and clerks of court. Many post offices let you schedule an appointment through the USPS Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler. Appointments run about 15 minutes per person, and you should arrive 10 minutes early with your IDs, photocopies, citizenship document, passport photo, completed DS-11, and payment.⁵

If you already hold a passport and are renewing it by mail on Form DS-82, the state ID question doesn’t apply the same way: renewals don’t require you to present ID at an acceptance facility, though you do have to submit your most recent passport with the application.⁶

1
U.S. Department of State. Get Photo ID for a U.S. Passport
2
U.S. Department of State. Get Citizenship Evidence for a U.S. Passport
3
USAGov. Apply for a New Adult Passport
4
U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport DS-11
5
United States Postal Service. Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler
6
U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail